Inhibitors of carbohydrate metabolism reduce undirected song production at doses that do not alter food intake in singly housed male zebra finches

Singing under the influence: examining the effects of nutrition and addiction on a learned vocal behavior

The songbird model is widely established in a number of laboratories for the investigation of the neurobiology and development of vocal learning. While vocal learning is rare in the animal kingdom, it is a trait that songbirds share with humans. The neuroanatomical and physiological organization of the brain circuitry that controls learned vocalizations has been extensively characterized, particularly in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Recently, several powerful molecular and genomic tools have become available in this organism, making it an attractive choice for neurobiologists interested in the neural and genetic basis of a complex learned behavior. Here, we briefly review some of the main features of vocal learning and associated brain structures in zebra finches and comment on some examples that illustrate how themes related to nutrition and addiction can be explored using this model organism.

In vivo nicotine exposure in the zebra finch: a promising innovative animal model to use in neurodegenerative disorders related research

Nicotine improves cognitive enhancement and there are indications that neurodegenerative (age-related) cognitive disorders could be treated with nicotine-based drugs. The zebra finch is a well-recognized model to study cognitive functioning; hence this model could be used to study the effects of nicotine in neurodegenerative cognitive disorders. However, nicotine's in vivo physiological and behavioral effects have never been studied in the zebra finch. Here we present the first in vivo nicotine study in zebra finches. We evaluated the dose-response effects of nicotine on locomotor activity, song production, food intake and body weight. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantification of nicotine and cotinine in feces. The subcutaneous nicotine drug regiment (0.054-0.54mg/kg) induced physiologically significant values of nicotine and cotinine. The mid (0.18mg/kg) and high (0.54mg/kg) dose of nicotine promoted the development and expression of a sensitized response of song production and locomotor activity. Food intake and body weight were not affected following nicotine exposure. In conclusion, the zebra finch can be used as an innovative animal model not only in nicotine-related research studying cognitive functioning, but also in studies examining nicotine dependence and addictive mechanisms.

Singing-driven gene expression in the developing songbird brain

Neural and behavioral development arises from an integration of genetic and environmental influences, yet specifying the nature of this interaction remains a primary problem in neuroscience. Here, we review molecular and behavioral studies that focus on the role of singing-driven gene expression during neural and vocal development in the male zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a songbird that learns a species-typical vocal pattern during juvenile development by imitating an adult male tutor. A primary aim of our lab has been to identify naturally-occurring environmental influences that shape the propensity to sing. This ethological approach underlies our theoretical perspective, which is to integrate the significance of singing-driven gene expression into a broader ecological context.